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Tentative Itinerary Italy, any comments or suggestions.

Tentative Itinerary Italy, any comments or suggestions.

Old Nov 19th, 2009, 02:48 PM
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Tentative Itinerary Italy, any comments or suggestions.

Trip is planned for September 2010.
Arrive in Rome for 7 nights. Any suggestions for apartments in great location at reasonable price.

Then best way to travel, thinking price vs time, to Catanzaro. My husband's ancestors are from Sersale and we would like to spend most of our time in the Calabria region researching, etc. Any recommendations for day trips from this location? Again,any suggestions re: accommodations would be appreciated.

4 nights in Sorrento and 4 nights in Florence and 4 nights in Venice with the same questions re: travel and lodging and lastly 2 nights in Milan and fly back to US.

Should we change one of the above places for Naples or can Naples be a day trip?

Thanks for all your help.
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Old Nov 19th, 2009, 03:03 PM
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You can check train options the Trenitalia website, but I would imagine your very best bet for traveling to Calabria and daytripping around it would be to rent a car. If you dislike the idea of driving all the way from Roma, consider taking a train to Salerno from Roma and picking up a car there.

You might find these websites very useful regarding Calabria and the purpose of your trip

http://www.calabriangenealogy.com/Catanzaro.html

http://www.sersale.org/vital.htm

Napoli is crowded city stuffed with fantastic treasures, and is an experience unto itself, being one of Italy's most anarchic cities. To enjoy -- even see -- its treasures, you have to spend more than one day there and not be afraid of its poverty and unique, rambunctious atmosphere. It is not difficult to get from Napoli from Sorrento, so if you have any hesitation, stay in Sorrento and visit Napoli as soon as you can. If you want more, you can visit more.
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Old Nov 19th, 2009, 03:43 PM
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Stepsbeyond,
Thanks for the website suggestions. I'm not sure we are up to driving in a car all the way from Roma. I can check out the suggestion re: Salerno and a car.
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Old Nov 19th, 2009, 04:14 PM
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You can train all the way to Catanzaro, but I'm not familiar (or wouldn't recommend) the car rental agencies I see there. There is an Auto Europe office in Lamezia Terme less than an hour away, and if you trained from Rome you'd have to make a connection at Lamezia Terme anyway.

But could you fly into Naples instead of Rome? That would eliminate backtracking and make for a shorter train ride to Calabria.

It's hard to give lodging recommendations for any of your destinations without knowing your budget. Just two people, or is this a family trip?
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Old Nov 19th, 2009, 05:51 PM
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Jean,

Thanks so much for your reply. If you have other suggestions, I'm here to listen. First time to Europe and/or Italy. So excited.

We are planning prior family visits in the US (AZ and Iowa) require us to fly from Chicago (and we want non stop) using FF miles so Rome had to be first stop, and family visits on East coast(PA and DE) and hs reunion require (nonstop) from Milan to NYC on our return, thus the reason for starting in Rome.

I think flying to Lamezia Terme might be good, and another an ExPat has recommended car rental there.

We aren't exactly budget but very moderate travelers. Like to do some of our own cooking, cocktail hour, coffee and tea time, shopping food markets, thus the interest in apts. and we are a married couple in late 60s. And...Our trip in Italy will be about 30 days so it will add up.
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Old Nov 19th, 2009, 08:09 PM
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cusogolf, you could certainly search trip reports on this site and find many recommendations for accommodations. If you're looking for a clean room with ensuite bath, but don't need tv, phone, wireless... consider staying in any one of hundred convents/monasteries around Italy. Very inexpensive, but clean and safe.

The American Catholic church in Rome is based at Santa Susanna. Their website has a link for convent/monastery rooms.
http://www.santasusanna.org/comingTo...html#R-vatican

You will also find it less expensive to stay on the mainland or less-famous islands (Guidecca or Lido) than Venice proper. And you will be just a short 10-mt vaporetto ride from most of those to Venice proper.

Buon viaggio! You will fall in love with Italy, no matter where you are!
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Old Nov 20th, 2009, 07:38 AM
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Sounds like a nice trip. I would start with checking rental reviews here-

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/vr/reviews.asp
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Old Nov 20th, 2009, 08:14 AM
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I agree with Zoecat 100%. there are many apartments in great location at reasonable prices.
Look at reviews for all your locations - not all apartments are weekly, many places also have rentals for 4 nights.
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 02:25 PM
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Sarge 56, zoecat and bardo 1, Mahalo!. All excellent suggestions. This site is quite wonderful and helpful. So glad I found it.
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 02:28 PM
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Hi CU,

Have you considered flying into Venice or Milan and out of Naples?

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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 02:49 PM
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Hi "lightbulb" (cute)

Due to trips prior and after to Italy (family visits and hs reunion) and FF miles. Flying out of Chicago (NS) to Rome and out of Milan to NYC (NS). Hopefully we can make this work within a budget and time frame (approx. 30 days)
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 03:07 PM
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Ira, cusogolf has FF and family commitments that determine/limit the starting and ending airports. See post 11/19/09 at 6:51 pm.

Cusogolf, at first I thought you had mis-typed "fly to Lamezia Terme," but you are certainly correct that you could fly from Rome to LT. It might be a little intimidating to start your first trip to Italy there, but I'd consider it. That way you'd be starting at your most southern destination and working your way north without any backtracking. I'd drop the car back at LT and train to Salerno where you can catch a ferry to Sorrento, a great intro to the Amalfitano.

http://www.metrodelmare.com/english
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 03:13 PM
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What I meant was fly into Rome and immediately continue on to Lamezia Terme, but you could also get your bearings for a week in Rome, then head back to FCO for the flight to LT. You'd have to weigh the +/- of going all the way to LT to start v. dealing with FCO twice.
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 03:41 PM
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Jean,

Thanks for the great idea. Somehow I don't think outside the box. I guess I was concerned over jet lag but I can check to see how long the trip is to LT on the arrival day. We get in Rome in around 9 AM.

I like the idea of leaving car at LT and doing train and ferry, etc. May not really want to do any more car if I can do stuff via bus, train, etc.
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 07:47 PM
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I found Sorrento to be rather disappointing; scenery aside, my thoughts were that it had become a tourist trap, full of the usual gift shops and cafes. Although Naples is a big, grimy port city, its museum holds most of the treasures of Pompeii and it's a good location from which to do day trips to Herculaneum and Pompeii, which are must-sees.
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Old Nov 21st, 2009, 07:53 PM
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It's easy to miss alternatives, but that's what is great about getting other views here.

I don't know if the flight schedule FCO to SUF (Lamezia Terme) will change significantly next year, but in September 2009, Monday-Friday, there were flights at 9:20 am, 11:10 am, 1:15 pm, 4:10 pm, 5:20 pm, 8:05 pm, 9:40 pm. 70 minutes one way. Saturday-Sunday service existed but tended toward the afternoon and evening. AirOne and Meridiana (aka Blue Panorama) with a few Alitalia.

If you're concerned about jet lag, just spend the first night in Lamezia Terme and pick up the car the next day. The airport is near the coast, south of the town of Marinella.
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Old Nov 24th, 2009, 02:22 PM
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Thanks everyone. I will have more questions later, but appreciate all your help.
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